The Revolution Came

Intermission: Silence of Dawn

August 20th, 1944

Cody stirred awake, the weight of his decision pressing against his chest like an iron hand. He slipped out of bed quietly, careful not to wake Jazmin, and made his way to his office. The room was dim, illuminated only by the flickering oil lamp on his desk. With a heavy heart, he took up his pen and began writing a letter: to his wife, to his children. Words flowed in a steady stream, yet his hand trembled as he put them to paper.

Behind him, the sheets rustled.

"Cody, come back to bed," Jazmin murmured sleepily, her voice barely above a whisper.

He hesitated, glancing over his shoulder. She lay there, eyes half-lidded, her hair tousled from sleep.

"I have an early meeting out of town," he said, forcing his voice to remain even.

She frowned, blinking at the darkness outside. "It's still night..."

"I know," he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I just need to get some thoughts down first."

A flicker of suspicion crossed her face. She knew him too well. "Why are you writing like you're running out of time?"

Cody rose from his desk and crossed the room to her. Without a word, he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly.

"Shhh," he whispered, afraid to wake the children.

She clung to him, trying to understand the unease that had settled in his frame. "Come back to bed," she pleaded, tugging at his hand. "That would be enough."

He exhaled softly, placing a lingering kiss on her forehead. "I'll be back before you even know I’m gone."

A promise he knew he couldn't keep.

She sighed, too groggy to pick up the sadness in his voice. "Well... I'm going back to sleep then."

She turned toward the door, pausing only when he called out, "Jazmin."

She looked back, bleary-eyed.

"The best of wives, and best of women," Cody said, offering a small, wistful smile.

Her heart warmed at the words, even if she didn’t fully understand their weight. She smiled sleepily and disappeared down the hall.

Cody's smile faded the moment she was gone. He let out a weary breath, his shoulders sinking under the burden of what lay ahead.

A knock at the door.

"Come in," he said, turning toward the window.

Mey entered, his boots clicking softly against the wooden floor. He eyed the cluttered desk, the scattered papers.

"Sir, you called for me?"

Cody adjusted his glasses, studying Mey carefully. Could he trust him?

"As a matter of fact, I did."

He walked to the desk and pulled open a drawer. The sound of wood scraping against wood made Mey tense. He recognized the small case Cody retrieved, a dueling pistol.

"You're going to a duel, aren't you?" Mey asked, his voice quiet but firm.

Cody nodded. "This duel could decide the fate of the country... and my family."

Mey's jaw tightened. "Then let me be your right-hand man. One last time."

Cody met his gaze, the unspoken bond between them lingering in the air. Finally, he nodded.

"One last time."

As they turned to leave, Cody hesitated.

"Mey, wait for me outside. I have something to do first."

Mey gave a sharp nod and exited.

Cody moved silently through the house, stopping in front of his son's room. He pushed the door open and stepped inside, kneeling beside the small bed.

"Pedro, wake up," he whispered, shaking him gently.

Pedro stirred, rubbing his eyes. "Dad?"

"Shhh," Cody hushed, his smile sad.

He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small, well-worn pocket watch. He pressed it into Henry’s palm.

"I want you to have this, son."

Henry blinked in confusion. "But Dad, don’t you need it?"

Cody shook his head. "Keep it. It will guide you in the darkest moments. No matter what happens."

Henry clutched the watch, sensing something unspoken in his father’s words.

Cody wrapped his arms around his son, holding him close for a long moment.

Then he rose to his feet, turned toward the door, and walked away.

Leaving behind everything he loved.

End of Intermission